Around the world cultural spaces are being closed, social distancing and confinement measures are being imposed to stop the propagation of the Coronavirus. Many of you are now facing long periods of time confined to your homes for weeks on end. We understand that these drastic measures are being taken to best ensure the safety of our most vulnerable. Whether you are looking for culture, knowledge, or just an activity to pass the time, this article will hopefully allow you to find some of the best entertainment available from within your living room.
Art galleries and museums may not be the first thing that comes to mind when people consider what they will be unable to do for several weeks of confinement, however if you regularly frequent such cultural venues, then a potential lockdown will seem daunting.
Don’t worry though, it is possible to access over 500 art galleries and museums thanks to Google Arts and Culture. A large number of renowned galleries and museums also offer their collections virtually. This article goes into more detail about how to visit galleries and museums for free online.
If you want to improve your drawing and painting skills, there are sites such as artists network where you can learn new techniques and skills. There is a combination of written guides and video tutorials.
Improve your photography skills with this simple guide on how to take better photos. This article was written with Instagram in mind, however the techniques described are relevant to photography in general.
Listen to Music
If you cannot live without live music, there are a number of options:
Spotify, where you can listen to music, create and share playlists.
Last FM, an online music service where it is possible to listen to music online, find new artists to listen to and share what you’re listening to with your friends.
If you are interested in creating your own music, with Soundcloud you can upload your songs, browse your favourite artists and discover new talent.
If you are an opera aficionado you can watch and listen to a large selection of operas with Operavision.
In efforts to alleviate the pressures of confinement, Moog music and Korg have released their synthesiser apps for free to help musicians who are staying at home.
Make your Own Music
You can also learn to play instruments with this non exhaustive selection of websites offering free lessons:
For all of your film and TV series needs there are so many streaming options, so much so that you will find that it is impossible to watch all of the films and episodes over the course of a year, let alone a month.
One of the most extensive streaming catalogues is Netflix. You can find out how to get the most out of your Netflix subscription here.
One of the newest options is Disney+. You can learn how to get started with Disney+ here.
However if you don’t have a Netflix or Disney+ subscription and are instead looking for a free option, then this is also possible. The following sites offer a large selection of free to watch movies and series:
Popcornflix, supported by Screen Media Ventures, boasts 1500 films and series.
Books
If you are running low on paperback books to read, there are multitude of online sources to keep you entertained. You can explore these free online libraries, whether you are looking for literature, poetry or educational papers, there is something for everyone:
Open Library, a non-profit organisation intended to ‘create one website for every book ever published’.
Project Gutenberg, an attempt to digitalise cultural works and encourage the creation of eBooks, with over 50000 books available for free.
Questia, a helpful resource for students and academics, with an expansive library of articles.
Video Games
If you are a seasoned gamer, you may feel that you have been preparing for confinement, often spending days without going outside (even when you still could). Now that everyone else is in the same situation, a lot of part time gamers will be returning to their dusty consoles with open arms.
There are so many options for gamers, no matter what console, phone or PC you have at your disposal.
If you are a PC user, Steam should be your first port of call. It is a digital video game distribution service available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS users. There is a large catalogue of games with something for everyone. Importantly, there is also a good selection of free games to choose from.
For Xbox One owners, besides the games that you already own, you can purchase a subscription to the Xbox One Game Pass for a very reasonable price of £1 / 1$ for the first month, including Xbox Live Gold. You can sign up here. If you are only confined for a month then this option is ideal as you can immediately cancel your subscription, enjoy the £1 first month and not have to worry about automatically paying for a second month.
Here is also a few games available to download and play on your Android or iOS devices:
Whilst all of these indoor activities may mentally stimulate you, it is also important to stay physically active as much as possible. This article picks the best apps for working out at home and staying in shape.
Summary
Hopefully you will have more than enough activities to keep you entertained through this difficult period. Stay safe and stay sane.
This document, titled « Online Activities to Keep You Entertained Indoors », is available under the Creative Commons license. Any copy, reuse, or modification of the content should be sufficiently credited to CCM (ccm.net).
